Latch and handle mechanism



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 19, 1938. 1 ANDERSON- LATCH AND HAADLE MECHANISM Filed April 2'?, 1957 July 19, 1938. L. ANDERSON LATCH AND HANDLE MEGHANISM Filed April 27, 1.957-

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIII II W5 ATTORNEY.

July 19, k1'938. NDERSON 2,123,866

LATCH AND HANDLE MECHANISM Filed Apri; 2v', 1957 s sheets-sheet s ff/75 ATTORNEY;

Patented July 19, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 2,123,866 LATCH AND HANDLE MECHANISM Lloyd Anderson, Rockford, Ill., assignor to National Lock Co., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application April 27, 1937, Serial No. 139,131

11 Claims.

This invention pertains to latches and operating mechanism therefor.

Among its important objects the invention includes the provisionof a latch of general appli- 5 cation and especially suited for use with utility closures and cabinets, such, for example, as refrigerators and like devices having automatically opening doors.

A further object is a'latch having a bolt nor- 10 mally locked in latching position by a special operating mechanism and a novel easy-release handle coperable therewith to release or unlock the bolt, and the'bolt being thereafter moved into ineffective position by opening of the door, either automatically or otherwise.

A further objectv of the invention is the provision of a latch having a bolt normally locked in effective position and having mechanism operable to free the bolt for movement into ineiective position, the bolt being moved into such position by the opening of the door or closure with which it is associated.

Still another object is an automatic handle structure coperable with the aforementioned i :35 latch to unlock or release the latter, the handle being of the easy-release type and operable by a light pressure applied thereto in any one of several directions.

Still another Objectis the provision of a latch :i of the character described and having a bolt arranged for sliding as well as pivotal movement into and out of eiective position, the latch bolt,

when released, being pivoted momentarily out of Y eielctive position by opening the closure with which it is associated, and the latch bolt also being momentarily slid or cammed into ineiective position by engagement with`a strike plate when the door is closed.

.A still further object is a compact; rugged and eicient latch structure of the type hereinbefore characterizedand provided -with an easy-Opening handle device for use on a door having automatic spring mechanism eliective to open the door as soon as the latch bolt is freed or unlocked for its automatic operation by the opening movement of the door.

Other novel aspects and objectsof the invention will appear as the following description develops in View of the annexed drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a door andthe automatic easy-release handle device thereon, the automatic hinge and latch device being shown in dotted line;

'- the handle and door, and is taken along the jog Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the auto-l matic hinge and taken along lines 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the lower or thrust hinge and is taken along lines 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section through the handle structure and is taken along lines 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional fragment through line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the handle along lines 6 6 of Fig. 4, and indicates in dotted lines two ofthe several operating positions which the handle can assume; 15

Figs. '7 and 8 are complementary vertical detail views, respectively, of the rear of the handle and the latch mechanism, each in operative position relative to the other, and Fig. 7 being taken along lines 1 1 of Fig. 5; 2o

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the latch, and is taken along lines 9 9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10^is a top plan view of the latch viewed in the direction of lines |0 |0 of Fig. 8;

Fig. ll is a horizontal section through the latch just above the bolt, and is taken along lines Il ll of Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal median section through the latch along lines l2-I2 of Fig. 8; while Fig. 13 is a horizontal section similar to Fig. 12, and shows the bolt and spring receded by camming action of the keeper. f

Referring to Fig. 1, the novel latch l5 and handle i6 are mounted on the door Il of a refrigerator having spring-operated, automaticopening hinge mechanism i8 and I8. In its operation, the handle 89 may be pivoted up or down, or pulled outwardly of the door, to release the latch device I5, whereupon the door I1 will at once'be swungopen by the hinge mechanism i 8.

Describing rst the novel latch with particular reference to'Fig. 8, the same is seen to include a housing or jacket 2D of substantially U-shaped cross section and provided with oppositely extending mounting flanges 2I through which are extended screws attaching the latch over a baseplate to the inside of the door Il, the latch housing being open'at its ends, and having at one (right-hand) of these ends a pair of diverging Wings or tabs 2Q and 25 struck-out from the 0pposite side walls of the housing. The upper one of these latter 'side walls has an open-ended slot or cut-away portion (Fig. l0) adjacent its rear edge and the ear 22. A base plate 26 is positioned between the back of the housing and the door l1 (Figs. 9 andl 10), and has an upturned ear 22 having an inwardly directed spring-engaging boss 23.

The latch bolt structure includes a sliding bolt carriage 21 of substantially U-shaped or channelshapedsection (Figs. 9 and 11) and fitted within Vthe channel part of the housing 20 with its open ends facing the open ends of thehousing, and its open side or top facing the bottom or outer part 20 of the same. This bolt carriage 21 also has an open-ended slot 28 communicating with its rearward upper edge and normally underlying .and aligned with the slot 25. in the housing (Fig. 10) while the top free edge portions of the carriage opposite its bottom are bent in to provide gliding flanges 29 (Fig. 9).

. From the bottom of the bolt carriage is struck inwardly a spring-retaining ear 30 (Figs. 9 and 11) having a boss like the boss 23 on the base plate ear 22, and in the assembly shown in Fig. 13, for example, a moderately strong compression spring 3l is expanded between the ear 22 on the base plate andthe ear 30 on the bolt carriage, urging the latter to the right and into the position seen in Fig. 10, this outward movement being limited by an inwardly extending stopping boss 32 struck up from the base plate 26 (Fig. 12) at a point spaced inwardly from its right-hand edge.

The right-hand edge of the bottom of the bolt carriage is inset or cut away, as at 33. to a depth just beyond the stopping boss 32 when the right end of the carriage 21 is ush or even with the rightledge of the housing 20, the stopping boss being raised sufficiently to confront this edge and limit movement of the carriage toward the right.

A latch bolt 34 (Figs. 8 and 11) having a cam surface 35 has a pair of spaced arms 36 which extend laterally away from the side of the bolt, and these arms 36 have registered openings through which is extended a pivot pin 31 disposed between the sides of the carriage 21. A latchreturn spring 38-embraces the pin 31 between the yoke-like arms 36.0f the bolt, and one end of thisl spring bears against an inner end of the bolt, while the opposite end. bears against ythe carriage 21 so as to pivot the bolt into eiective position, that is to say, into a position protruding from, and substantially co-extensive-with, the carriage. Thus, it will be evident in Fig. 13 that the bolt is urged in an anti-clockwise direction by the spring 38 and may be pivoted in a clockwise direction out of the way of the keeper and back into the carriage.

Pivotally mounted'on a pin 40 within the carriage and at an end opposite the bolt. is a U- shaped latch member 4l ,having a pair of yoke arms 42 (see particularly Figs. 8 and 11) disposed on its inner side nearest the bolt, and mounted between these arms 42 is a roller 43. A coil spring 44 around the pin 40- normally urges the ,latch member and roller in an anti-clockwise direction with the roller bearing against an inner latching part or surface 45 on the bolt 34.

Itwill be observed that the pins 31 and 4U about which the bolt and latch, respectively, pivot, are not in alignment, and that in its normal position, as seen for example in Figs. 9 and 12, the vertical body or bightpart ofthe latch bears against the riding flanges 29 as at 39, thus rendering it impossible to pivot the latch member 4| inan anticlockwise direction, A:which in turn renders it impossible to pivot the bolt 34 in a clockwise direction, since any attempted pivoting of the bolt in latch in the opposite direction against the flanges 29.

However, by pivoting the latch in a clockwise sense, the roller 43 will be moved out of the path of the end part 45 of the bolt, which thereupon may be pivoted back into the'carriage within the housing, it being recalled also that the carriage 21 may itself be pushed back into the housing against the spring 3| with the same result.

Extended upwardly through the cut-away parts or slots 25 and -28 from the latch member is an operating finger or pin 46 (Figs. 8, 10, 11) which is engageable by a laterally extending arm or finger 41 on a sleeve 48 adjustably attached to the lower end of a vertical operating rod 60. At its lower axial end, the sleeve 48 is fitted upon a stud 6| secured to the top of the housing near the wing 24.

An adjustable connection between the sleeve and rod is effected in a simple manner by means of a pair of sc'rews 62 and 63, each having tapered or conical head portions 64, and each threaded radially into the rod 60 through over-sized holes 65 (Figs. 8 and 10) circumferentially displaced from each other in a direction around the sleeve.

Serving to rotate the rod 60 in an anti-clockwise. direction into a normal position, and alsoy serving 'as part of the above-mentioned novel sleeve 48 at its lower end and having one extremity 61 bent around the arm 41, while its opposite end 68 is bent around a twisted ear portion 69 of the upper integral wing 24 on housing 21.v Thus a constant torsional effort is exerted on the sleeve 48 tending to turn it in yan anti-clockwise sense relative to rod-60, and when the adjusting screws 62 and 63 are loosened, the sleeve will turn in this sense on the rod 60 until the shank of the screw 63 bears against the -side of its corresponding hole 65 in the sleeve. Adjustment is effected by tightening the screw 63 until the tapered shoulder part thereof cams against the side of its corresponding sleeve-hole and rotates the sleeve (clockwise) against the tension of the coil spring 66. This rotation will cause the arm 41 to approach the operating pin 46, and when the desired spacing is achieved, the remaining set screw 62 may be tightened to hold the sleeve 48 rigidly in place onv rod 60.

At its upper and headedvend, the rod 60 is engaged and supported for pivotal movement by an oiset arm 10 of a bracket 1I attached to the rear of the door I1, and the rod has a second or upper and radial finger or handle-engaging arm 12 provided with a hook or pin part 13 for operative engagement with a handle member.

Thus, referring to Figs. '7 and 8, it will be apparent that if the rod 60 is.pivoted from left to right or clockwise. the offset finger 41 will bear against the pin 46 and the latch bolt will be freed for subsequent pivotal movement by some other j agency.

In Figs. 8 and 10, the latch and bolt are in normal locking position, while in Fig. 11 the rod 60 has been turned to free the bolt and the latkeeper 15 and particularly by the lnose portion 16 thereof, the door l1 being automatically swung out in the direction of the arrow by the spring hinge.

It will be observed that` the keeper has a sloped strike plate 11, and when the rod has been freedk for return to 'normal by its spring 66 so as to reposition the roller 43 and latch the bolt, the bolt 34 can no longer be pivoted.

2,128,866 If now the door I'I be swung closed in the direc-l ing 20 against the compression spring 3| until the bolt canpass the nose 76 of the keeper, whereupon the bolt will quickly slide back into the keeper l5 behind the keeper nose 16.

Of great importance in the operation of the aforesaid latch is the easy-release mechanism by means of which the novel latch is operated, and which includes the movable handle member 80, and a pair of stationary handle mounts 8| and 82 (Figs. 1 and 4), secured to the door.

The handle portion is preferably in the form of an arcuate hollow-cast body having a rear cover plate 83 screwed into place thereon and provided with firm-grip undulations 815. At the right end of the handle body 80 is a projection 85 having a ball formation 86 at its outer end, and this ball is socketed for universal movement in a suitably recessedlpart 8l of the stationary or end bracket 8|, the socket being completed by a plug or disc 88 in which is seated a spring-and-presser assembly 89 to take .up play, the disc being held in its seat by a set screw 90 threaded into the end bracket 8|.

The other end bracket 82 (Fig. 5) is recessed and has one side 9| provided with a substantially square opening confronting the adjacent end of the handle 80. 'I'he rear adjoining side of the end bracket opens toward the door and a passage 92 leading through the latter to a point opposite the arm 'l2 on rod 60 (Fig. 5). Interiorly of the recessed end mount 82 are a-pair of screwreceiving bosses 93 and a seating boss'94 having a verticalside-opening slot 95 to receive a'pivot pin 96 (see also Fig. 7) which is extended between a pair of spaced offset ears 91 extended laterally from a trip arm 98.l This arm 98 has one (left) end portion enlarged and bifurcated, as at 99, each of the bifurcations |00 being rolled back around a link pivot pin 0| on which is mounted, between the bifurcations, one end of an operating link |02. This link extends through the passage or hole 92 in the door and connects at its inner end |03 with the hooked part 13 of the arm '|2 on operating rod 60. A screw and washer |00 on boss 94 prevents the pivot pin 96 froml unseating.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be observed that ,the

innermost (right) corner portions of the square side opening 9| of the recessed end mount 82 are routed or rounded-out to provide recesses |05 into which fit respectively one of each of a pair of spaced trip pins |06 extended in an axial sense from the left end of the main handle 80 (Figs. 4, 5, 6,) and these pins |06 extend far enough into the end mount to lie behind each of the rolled ends |00 of the bifurcations. It will be recalled that the rod 60 is urged into a normal position by its spring 66, and thus, as viewed in Fig. 5, this rod and the arm 12 will tend to move Atoward the right, pulling the trip arm 98 toward the right (the same pivoting about the pin 96) so that both of the rolled ends |00 of the trip arm are close againstvthe pins |06.

It will be recalled further that the right-handend of the handle 80 is universally joined to its end mount or bracket 8| by a ball and socket connection 86-87, so that the handle 80 isfre'e to be twisted from its normal position of Fig. 6 into` either of the two dotted line positions there shown, land it will be apparent that one of the two trip pins |06 will provide a pivot while the other pin will move back against its corresponding rolled end part |00 on the trip cam, and the latter will be moved toward the left thus pivoting the operating rod 60 through the link |02 and arm l2. However, in addition to the two different operating movements just described in view of Fig. 6, there is still a third degree of movement illustrated in Fig. 4, where it will be seen tha'tif the handle 80 is pulled outwardly of the door to the dotted line position, both of the pins |06 will bear against the rolled ends |00 of the trip arm, and the rod 60 will again be rotated, and it should be observed that no matter Awhich of the three vpossible movements is imparted to the handle 80,

the movement of the lever arm |02 and rod 60 is always the same, thatis, clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 4.

It will thus appear that I have provided 'a latch and operating mechanism therefor in accordance with the several objects hereinabove set forth, and particularly a latch comprising a housing having a bolt pivoted in a sliding carriage against the tension of a positioning spring, the carriage being positioned also by a spring, so that the bolt tends at all times to be in effective position. This bolt may.. either be pivoted or slid into ineffective position.

The novel latch further includes a pivoted locking member movable with the bolt carriage and normally spring-urged into a position to block vpivotal movement of the bolt, together with a member into ineffective position whichever waythe handle is moved.

'I'he foregoing particularly -described device sets forth only one embodiment of the invention, and it is expressly provided that the appended claims are intended to embrace any and all modications, rearrangements, and variations or combinations of the invention defined by the.l annexed claims, and coming `within the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Latch operating means including an elongated handle disposed between a pair of end brackets and having at one axial end a ball-andsocket engagement vwith one of said brackets, the other of said brackets having a chamber opening onto the opposite axial end of said handle, a trip lever pivoted in said bracket chamber and having a pin-engaging portion disposed opposite the adjacent endl of said handle andmovable in a direction transverse to the long axis of the handle toward and away from a particular side of said chamber, said handle having a pair of spaced pins extended axially into said bracket chamber between said pin-engaging portion and said partrip lever being adapted for operative connection with a latch.

2. A combination latch-operating and handle means including a substantially elongated handle member, a pair of end mounts adapted for mounting on a door or the like at opposite ends of said handle, means in one of said end mounts providing universal pivotal -mounting for said handle, means in the opposite end mount including a lever operating member mounted for pivotal-movement in the same plane as that upon which said end mounts are themselves mounted, and spaced means projecting from the axial end of said handle corresponding to said last-mentioned opposite end mount and each providing a fulcrum for pivotal movement of said handle in opposite directions and each operatively engageable with said pivoted lever operating member to move said lever member when said handle is pivoted in one of two opposite directions about the other of said axially extending means as a fulcrum. said handle being movable to effect endevice including a substantially elongated handle member and means at its opposite ends including end mounts mounting the same for universal movement upon a door surface or the like, latch-operating means in one of said end mounts .and including a pivoted operating member therein, together with means arranged on the end of said handle which corresponds to said last-mentioned mount and constructed for engagement With'said pivoted operating member to actuate the same and said latch-operating means when i said handle is pivoted in opposite directions toward said door surface and also when said handle is pulled in a direction away from said surface.

4. A combination handle and latch-operating structure including spaced end mounts adapted for mounting on a door or the like, a handle member disposed between said end mounts and having universal pivotal support on one of the same, latch-operating mechanism in the opposite one of said end mounts and including a pivoted operating element therein having its pivotal axis substantially parallel to the surface of the door upon which the end mounts are mounted, and spaced` axially extending means on the end of said handle corresponding to said opposite end mount and arranged' to engage and pivot said pivoted operating element when said handle is turned in either of two opposite directions relative to the aforesaid surface and also when said handle is pulled in a direction away from said surface.

structure including an elongated handle meniber mounted at one end for universal movement on a door and having an end bracket mounted at its opposite end, latch-operating mechanism in said end bracket and including a pivoted operating element and means at said opposite end of said handle engageable with said bracket to provide a fulcrum when said handle is pivoted in opposite directions toward said door and operatively engageable with said pivoted element to actuate said latch-operating mechanism, said means also being operatively engageable with said pivoted element to actuate the same when said handle is moved in a direction away from said door.

5. A combination handle and latch-operating 6. A latch-operating handle structure including a pair of spaced end brackets adapted for mounting on a door or ,the like, a handle disposed between said brackets and having a ball and socket mounting at one of its ends with a corresponding one of said brackets, the opposite said bracket having a trip arm and a movable operating element therefor, together with spaced means at the end of said handle corresponding.

to said opposite bracket, said spaced means each providing a fulcrum respective to the other cooperably with said opposite bracket, whereby said handle may be pivoted in opposite directions v about its long axis between said brackets, as well as in a direction laterally away from said axis to effect actuation of said movable operating member by said spaced means.

` '7. A combination handle and latch-operating structure including an elongated handle membei; and bracket means at one end thereof mounting the same for pivotal movement in opposite directions about the ,long axis of the end about an axis disposed laterally of the aforesaid long axis, and a second bracket means at the opposite end of the handle and having arranged therein a movable latch-operating member, said handle having means at its end adjacent said second bracket means operatively engageable with said latch-operating member to actuate'the latter when said handle is moved in a direction about any of the pivotal axes aforesaid.

` 8. A combination handle and latch-operating structure including an elongated handle member provided with bracket means at its opposite ends supporting said handle on a door or the like and mounting said handle for rocking movement in opposite directions about its long axis and also for pivotal movement in a direction away from said door in the region of a particular one of its ends, the end thereof opposite said particular end being provided with fulcrum engageable with the corresponding bracket member to provide a pivoting fulcrum whenever the handleis rocked about its long axis as aforesaid, said lastmentioned brack means being provided with a pivoted latch-operating member arranged to be operatively engaged and pivoted by said fulcrum means whenever said handle is rocked or pivoted as aforesaid.

9. A latch-operating handle including a substantially elongated handle memberl provided with bracket means at its opposite end for mounting'the same upon a door or the like, said handle having pivotal support at one of its ends inthe corresponding bracket means whereby the handle may be moved in opposite directions both of said pin members operatively engaging said latch-operating member when said handle isI pivoted about said transverse axis.

10. A latch-operating handle including a substantially elongated handle member havinga handle and also for pivotal movement at said one ffl ball and socketI mounting in a bracket member' at one end thereof and permitting substantially universal freedom of movement for the handle,

a bracket member adaptedto be mounted at the opposite end of said handland having a pivoted latch-operating member arranged therein for pivotal movement about an axis extending in a transverse sense to the long axis of said handle, said opposite end of the handle having a pair of spaced pin members extending in an axial direction therefrom into the corresponding bracket member, opposite ones of said pin members having bearing engagement with the corresponding bracket member when the handle is rocked as aforesaid in either of its opposite directions whereby the other pin member of the pair is moved into operative engagement with said pivoted latch-operating member to actuate the latter, both of said pin members operatively engaging said latch-operating member when the handle ispivoted about the aforesaid transverse axis.

11. A combination handle and latch-operating structure including a substantially elongated handle having a bearing member extended in an axial sense from a particular end thereof, said ltively engageable with said bearing member having bearing support for universal movement in a bracket member adapted for attachment to a door or the like, a second bracket member arranged at the opposite end of said handle and likewise adapted for mounting on a door, said last-mentioned bracket member having a latch-operating element mounted therein for pivotal movement about an `axis extending in a transverse sense to the long axis of said handle, said handle having a pair of spaced extensions projecting in an axial sense into second bracket member and each operalatch-operating member to pivot the latter by pivotal movement of said handle about an axis substantially parallel with the pivotal axis of said latch-operating member, one of said spaced vextensions having bearing engagement with said second bracket member whenever said handle is rocked about an axis substantially parallel to the long axis of said handle, while the opposite extension of the pair is moved in a direction for operative engagement with said latch-operating member to actuate the latter.

LLOYD ANDERSON. 

